Anthus Family

Pliny the Elder who was a writer during 23-79 C.E mentioned of a family that involves a story about a werewolf. In his work,  Historia Naturalis which incident was originally documented by Euanthes, the clan of the Anthus was a direct descendant of Antaeus.

Every nine year, the Anthus family would have to draw a name of a family member, whoever was fortunate enough to be chosen should go to the lake and perform an ancient ritual that is said to transform him into an appearance of a wolf.

The ritual is started by hanging first their clothing on a branch of a tree.  The chosen one should then swim to the other side of the lake.  They believed that by the time that he reached the other side of it; he would be transformed into a werewolf.

The man chosen to transform into a werewolf is said to remain on that appearance for nine years.  If on the period of nine years, he was able to resist his urge to kill humans, then he would be allowed to swim back to the lake and the lake would bring back his original human form.

The story bears a striking similarity to the tale of the Lykaians.  Some believe that both of the clan’s ritual is an account of an Arcadian wolf ritual.